The Making Of A Dangerous Dog - responsibilities of owners and breeders

Animals, Fall, 2001 by Pamela H. Sacks

A gradual change appears to be taking place in American society, boosting legislative and enforcement efforts. Randall Lockwood, a vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, notes that more than a dozen men and women across the country stand charged with murder or manslaughter in connection with fatal dog attacks, including the lawyers who kept the dog that killed Whipple. "This emphasizes that these most serious cases are almost invariably the result of negligent human behavior," says Lockwood, who served on the AVMA's task force and also worked on the study of fatal maulings.

Lockwood sees some encouraging signs. When a pit bull tore off a child's ear not long ago in Washington, D.C., he expected headlines calling for a ban on the breed. Instead a news story focused on an increase in the animal-control budget. "That's exactly what's needed," says Lockwood. "I think the message is finally beginning to sink in."

At the same time, no one should lose sight of the impact our individual actions can have when it comes to the making of dangerous dogs. "Dogs instinctively want to please," Gilchrist says. "The important thing is to get people on track to set them up for success."

AVOIDING BITES

Most of the time dogs bring joy into our lives. Millions are reliable family members we trust to romp with the children or enjoy a game of fetch in the backyard. So it may come as a surprise to many animal aficianados that 50 percent of all dogs will have "some kind of aggressive encounter with a human in their lifetime," according to Kelley Bollen, an animal-behavior consultant for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The best approach, for dog lovers and others, includes a portion of care and a portion of understanding.

"If we don't educate people on how to read dogs and how to behave around dogs," says Bollen, "there will continue to be bites."

Signs of canine aggression include:

* standing very still, almost frozen (this indicates the dog is angry or scared);

* staring directly at you (this is a threat; avoid direct eye contact with such a dog);

* raised hair on the back of the dog's neck;

* ears flattened to the dog's head or an erect, forward-pointing posture;

* a tail held high in the air, either very still or stiffly wagging, or tucked between the legs;

* showing teeth, growling, or barking directly at you.

If a dog starts to attack you:

* never run, stand still. If knocked over, lie still;

* protect your face and stomach with your hands and arms;

* do not scream, though you can yell "help" if you think someone is close enough to hear you;

* if possible, give the dog a piece of clothing or another item to bite onto, and slowly walk backward to get to a safe place.

Owners need to take signs of aggression very seriously. "When a dog learns that biting works to remove a source of fear or anger, he is more likely to use this strategy again in the future. If your dog has bitten, seek professional help," advises Bollen.

Pamela H. Sacks is a contributing editor for Animals.